Los Angeles Project Spotlight

Kelly Wearstler's Onda Restaurant Is a Minimalist Ode to L.A. and Mexico City

The restaurant in Santa Monica Proper distills the essence of two celebrated chefs

All of the seating at Onda is vintage.

Photo: Dylan Jeni

When it came time to outfit a restaurant in Santa Monica’s Kelly Wearstler–designed Proper Hotel, the inspiration was a group effort. Onda would be a joint venture between Jessica Koslow, the chef of L.A. favorite Sqirl, and Gabriela Cámara, the chef of Mexico City’s famed Contramar. Wearstler led the design for the space, working in tandem with both chefs as well as Sqirl creative director Scott Barry.

"The conversation with the food was about having this borderless relationship with Jessica and Gabi," Barry explains. When the chefs and designers were planning the restaurant, they were "wary of doing anything that felt too Mexican, or too Spanish Revival," he adds, referencing Onda’s setting on the ground floor of the reimagined 1928 Santa Monica Professional Building. To find out how the group of interior and culinary superstars got the job done, AD PRO caught up with Wearstler in Santa Monica.

AD PRO: How would you describe the collaboration between you, Jessica, Gabriela, and Scott?

Kelly Wearstler: Onda is reflective of both chefs' combined distinctive cultural and food styles: minimal, inviting, and modern. This is telling their story through my eyes. It was a very fluid, engaging process.

An exposed kitchen lends a casualness to the space.

Photo: Dylan Jeni

Kelly Wearstler prioritized warm, earthy materials.

Photo: Dylan Jeni

AD PRO: How was working with these two chefs different than previous restaurant design projects you've done?

KW: The space is driven by the narrative of the unique collaboration, which is a different approach than either designing for established brands or the singular style of one chef. The challenge was to translate the marriage of their culinary backgrounds into a cohesive dialogue. The restaurant is foundationally Mexican, but with California influence.

AD PRO: Given that the textures and palettes skew neutral and earthy, how did you settle on where to incorporate that more colorful eggplant tile?

KW: The restaurant tells its own story, but comes together with the hotel through warmth of materials, palette, lighting, and details. Eggplant pairs beautifully with terra-cotta, which is so reflective of Mexico. They both felt grounded to the earth.

AD PRO: Which elements, if any, did you keep of the historic building?

KW: Onda is situated in a landmark building, which is a beautiful Spanish Colonial Revival–style one, built in the 1920s. We thoughtfully restored and refreshed its original rich materiality and architectural details. Within this historic envelope is the California modernist, avant-garde Onda. The beauty is in the juxtaposition of the original detailing with the materiality-forward design of the restaurant. The open kitchen was something we wanted to do because this adds to the casual nature of the restaurant.


AD PRO: How did you work to furnish the design to reflect the restaurant's ties to both Santa Monica and Mexico?

KW: To achieve a beautiful melding in the design, we curated a shared palette with natural, raw materials and a rich patina. The space is thoughtfully layered with ceramic terra-cotta tiles from Mexico, [as well as] beautiful vintage and locally crafted pieces by California modernist designers. All of the seating in the space is vintage, including chairs from Børge Mogensen and Alvar Aalto and bar stools by midcentury American maker Arthur Umanoff. The main dining area features hand-carved oak tables, a custom reclaimed Douglas fir wooden communal table, and custom elm and leather banquettes. Lighting fixtures are a slight nod to the minimalist simplicity of the 1980s, with a set of grooved clear glass sconces.

Project Details

Design team: Kelly Wearstler in collaboration with Sqirl creative director Scott Barry

Location: Santa Monica, California

Timeline: June 2018 to October 2019

Biggest-ticket item: “Outfitting the kitchen." —Scott Barry

An idea you almost went with: “Hanging paintings flat to the ceiling." —Scott Barry

Most interesting thing you had on the project mood board: “How iconic, having two super-talented chefs come together to create one restaurant. So, I looked at two of my favorite dishes from each of their restaurants as part of my inspiration board: a favorite dish from Contramar and another from Sqirl.” —Kelly Wearstler